Features Technicianpage 6 • tuesday, setpember 27, 2011

Tuesday, September 27 at 7:00 PM

Come see A Clockwork Orange for FREE at:CAMPUS CINEMA

Witherspoon Student CenterSponsored by:

Society for Collegiate Journalists

Big guns, bigger finishFive years ago theCary-based games de-

velopers at Epic Games, introduced Gears of War to the world. The well-

polished and action-filled third person shooter was an instant hit, and has

come to define cover-based shoot-ing gameplay in the games industry.

Now, three years after the first sequel, Epic Games has

brought their Xbox 360 trilogy to a close with

the release of Gears of War 3, and every-thing ends with the resounding bang fans of the series have come to expect.

The story of Gears of War 3 continues the

war against the Locust Horde, with an empha-

sis placed on this being humanity’s last stand. It

is a story of survival, and the narrative instills the distinct feeling that everything is happening on

borrowed time, with the player tasked with making a last grab

for peace.While Epic

Games could have created a s om b e r m o o d t o drape over t he ent i re

game, Gears of War 3 avoids

being too dark and heavy, thanks to the lively nature of its characters. Amidst the devasta-tion and destruction is a spark of life and humor that comes alive, especially in the glowing brotherly companionship between main character Marcus Fenix and squadmate Dominic Santiago.

However, Marcus and Dom’s friendship isn’t all that glows on the planet Sera. Along with the continued conflict

with the Locust, subterranean enemies that rose to the surface, comes the newly expanded threat called the Lambent.

The action is still fast and the bullets fly hot while chainsaw bayonets rev loudly. It is still a wild, cinematic experience. However, unlike the previous installment, Gears of War 3 manages to keep the player

feeling in control. Fans will be able to con-

tinue to fight until

the bitter end, and have fun doing it.One of the best additions to the experience are the

new Lambent enemy types. These mutated creatures are extremely volatile, skilled at melee combat, and explode upon death. This provides a wel- come change to the gameplay in the first half of Gears 3, as it is unwise to get in close to an enemy that may de tonate when shot.

Running and getting i nto cover feels smoother and faster than before. Traversing the battlefield is less of a hassle with tightened controls, and players will quick-ly be able to slip into cover from enemy attacks.

Another nod toward the desperate tone of the story is the lack of ammunition on the battlefield. The constant need to find storehouses and scavenge weapons from fallen enemies truly adds to the survival tone.

The game is also gorgeous thanks to the Unreal Engine, which has been tweaked and made to look better than ever. The graphics may quite possibly be the best of any game out on the Xbox 360 so far. Players will likely feel compelled to stop and simply admire the beautiful environments that Epic has created.

Epic Games hasn’t changed too much from the formula that has made the series so successful, but Gears of War 3 does enough to keep the game-play fresh, and stands strong as the most polished entry in the series to date.

Outside of the single player, Epic Games has both improved and added to the game’s other modes. Versus

mode in particular has seen a great amount of work. Epic Games has so far avoided major server crashes or any of the other crippling problems that plagued Gears of War 2 upon release.

Online matchmaking has been improved and is faster and more efficient than before. This is thanks to the Gears of War 3 beta that was released and utilized by Epic Games earlier this year.

The popular Horde mode, which pits players against wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies, makes a return in an updated form. Now called Horde 2.0, the mode seeks to be the best on the market.

Epic Games has upped the ante with massive boss enemies joining the fray in Horde mode, and a ro-bust currency system where players can earn cash to be spent on building defenses to assist in holding off hordes of invading enemy forces. The new additions provide a welcome change-up, and make for a more dynamic and enjoyable experience.

Also included is the new Beast mode, which allows players to fight from the Locust point of view. This is a fresh variant to the usual gameplay, and it can be argued that dislodging and destroying the well-dug-in humans is an even bigger challenge.

Overall, Gears of War 3 feels like the epitome of every gameplay feature that has come before it. The single player experience provides frantic gameplay and an emotionally-satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Sup-

ported by a reworked online system, a bigger Horde mode, and the unique and interesting Beast

Mode, Gears of War 3 is filled to the brim with content, and is one of the

year’s best games.

After A three-yeAr development period, Gears of war 3 provides A sAtisfying finAle.

Story By PhilliP lin

Gears of War 3Developer: epic gamesRelease: sept. 20, 2011System: Xbox 360Price: $59.99Players: 1-2 Local, 1-5 Online

Welcome to the neW Weapon rack

Retro lancerAn older model of the Chainsaw Lancer used since the first game in the series. the weapon provides fully automatic fire and the option to bayonet charge an enemy.

One ShotA high-powered sniper rifle that provides an instant kill to anything it hits. However, the gun takes a couple of seconds to charge, and must be zoomed in to do so.

DiggerA locust weapon that fires a burrowing creature into the ground. When it nears an enemy, the creature burst out of the ground and explodes.

Sawed-Off ShotgunA shorter ranged weapon than the Gnasher Shotgun, but one that provides a greater amount of damage. the weapon is ideal for unskilled players to stand a chance in competition.

photos courtesy of epic gamesmarcus fenix returns for his third tour of duty in the war against the locust.

now, the hardened Cog soldier must also face off against the infected lambent, and deal with the revelation that his

father may not be dead as he once thought.

In their quest to expand the Gears of War universe even more with the latest game, Epic included numerous new weapons in the third game. From the predecessor to the series’ famous Lancer to the devastating and sneaky Digger, the arsenal of Gears of War 3 has plenty of new ways for players to wield on the field of battle.

Features& enTerTainmenTarTs

Technician was there. You can be too.

The Technician staff is always looking for new members to write, design or take photos. Visit www.ncsu.edu/sma for more information.